Project of the Week – West Hills

Location: Portland, Oregon
Architect: FIELDWORK Design & Architecture
Photography: Brian Walker Lee

Located in the West Hills above downtown Portland, the primary inspiration for this project was the environment in which the project is sited – immersed in the forest, with framed views of Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens. And what better way to pay homage to this breathtaking northwest scenery than using locally sourced, sustainable wood? That’s why the FIELDWORK Design & Architecture team got full support from their clients to use beautiful Western Red Cedar throughout the project, which consisted of renovating an indoor swimming pool room and transforming an unfinished basement utility and storage area into a wine cellar and changing room.

“We wanted to create a spa-like space that would be calm, relaxing, and where we could really enjoy time with family and friends,” says the client. “We have two, young, active children, and while they enjoyed our indoor pool before our remodel, since our remodel has been completed, all four family members look forward to spending time a lot of time in this part of our home for years to come. We also enjoy wine, and wanted to create a space to store and showcase our collection that would have clean and sleek lines that we appreciate throughout the rest of our mid-century modern home.”

Accordingly, the primary materials are locally sourced Western Red Cedar, specifically 1×4 T&G wall and ceiling cladding in the poolroom, 1×4 T&G wall cladding and flooring in the wine cellar and 1×4 T&G paneling in the changing room. All this natural indoor beauty works in conjunction with the show-stopping 32’ wide single 4-panel sliding door system, which spans from floor to ceiling that creates a seamless connection from the pool to the outdoors.

As well as beautifying this project and blurring the lines between interior and exterior spaces, FIELDWORK principal, Cornell Anderson, opted for Real Cedar because of its many performance characteristics.

“It is a durable, sustainable and moisture resistant material that created a warm, peaceful, and therapeutic atmosphere,” says Anderson.

Western Red Cedar Specs:
Grade of Cedar: KD A Clear & Better (10-15% B Clear)
Size: 1×4
Applied finish: Clear finish